Incorporating physical activity in your daily life

DFEND 2.0August 7, 2020Erin K. Howie, PhDekhowie@uark.edu

Learning Objectives1. Identify the 5 health-related components of fitness2. Understand and Identify examples of how to meet the US Physical

Activity Guidelines3. Understand how to incorporate healthy physical activity into

everyday life4. Compare wearables to track your physical activity5. Identify opportunities for safe physical activity during the COVID-19

pandemic

Source for information• WHO - #healthyathome• https://www.who.int/campaigns/connecting-the-world-to-combat-

coronavirus/healthyathome• American College of Sports Medicine – staying healthy at home• https://www.acsm.org/read-research/newsroom/news-releases/news-

detail/2020/03/16/staying-physically-active-during-covid-19-pandemic• Aspen Institute – Project Play• https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/coronavirus-and-youth-sports

• CDC – Youth Sports Game plan• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-

childcare/youth-sports.html

Definitions

Physical activity – any bodily movement produced by contraction of muscles that results in a substantial increase in caloric requirements Exercise – PA that is planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body Fitness – the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue an with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and to meet unforeseen emergencies

US National Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults (aged 18–64)

• 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity• or 1 hour and 15 minutes a week of

vigorous• or an equivalent combination

• Episodes of at least 10 minutes, preferably spread throughout the week

• Additional health benefits are provided by increasing to 5 hours (300 minutes) a week of moderate• or 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of

vigorous• or an equivalent combination of both

• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days per week

150 vigorous

75 vigorous

300 moderate

150 moderate

Easy to remember

Or half

Or half

Double for additional benefits

+ muscle strengthening x2

US National Physical Activity Guidelines for Children (aged 6–17)

• 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily• Most should be moderate- or

vigorous intensity • Vigorous-intensity physical

activity on at least 3 days a week• Muscle-strengthening activities on

at least 3 days a week• Bone-strengthening activities on at

least 3 days a week

• Preschool children (aged 3-5)• Should be physically active throughout

the day• Encourage active play that includes a

variety of activity types

What is moderate and vigorous physical activity?

• Talk test• Light – can talk & sing• Moderate – can talk but can’t sing • Vigorous – can’t talk or sing

• Moderate activities (3-<6 METs)• Brisk walking, golf, canoeing, water

aerobics, ballroom dancing, vacuuming

• Vigorous Activities (≥6 METs)• Running, sports like basketball, chopping

wood, carrying groceries up stairs

• More on this next week!

https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/Activity-Categories

A MET is a metabolic equivalent of how much energy you’re using

• 30 minutes basketball on Monday (vigorous)• 30 minutes racquetball on

Thursday (vigorous)• 30 minute walk with kids on

Sunday (moderate)

• 20 minute walk Tuesday (moderate)• 20 minutes walk Thursday

(moderate)• 60 minutes mowing lawn on Friday

(moderate)• 20 minutes vacuuming on Saturday

(moderate)• 30 minutes weeding on Sunday

(moderate)

Meet Guidelines Meet Guidelines

5 Health-related components of physical activity

1. Aerobic capacity2. Muscular Strength3. Muscular Endurance4. Flexibility5. Body composition

Superior4%

Excellent10%

Good23%

Fair24%

Poor20%

Very Poor19%

Aerobic Fitness

Healthy28%

Unhealthy72%

Body Fat

Excellent25%

Very Good25%

Good18%

Fair12%

Poor20%

Flexibility

Excellent39%

Very Good19%

Good18%

Fair13%

Poor11%

Muscular Endurance

Excellent14%

Very Good24%

Good17%

Fair24%

Poor21%

Muscular Strength

In general…= Good= Not so good

Fitness of University of Arkansas Students, Faculty and Staff

Activity break

Aerobic fitness

• The ability of the circulatory and respiratory system to supply oxygen during sustained physical activity

• Ways to improve: Walking up hills and stairs, cycling on the greenway, taking a fitness class

Muscular Strength

• The ability of a muscle to exert force

• Ways to improve: Use a weight room, try a group personal training session, Kettlebell squats, Bicep curls with your heaviest cookbook

Muscular Endurance

• The ability of a muscle to continue to perform without fatigue

• Ways to improve: As many body squats as you can, Planks to the your favorite song

Flexibility

• The range of motion available at a joint

• Ways to improve: yoga videos, Hamstring stretches on a bench, Calf stretches going up the steepest hill you can find

Body composition

• The relative amounts of muscle, fat, none and other vital parts of the body• Ways to improve: Drink water, Check

out some new fruits and veggies at the your local farmers market

#healthyathome

https://www.who.int/news-room/campaigns/connecting-the-world-to-combat-coronavirus/healthyathome/healthyathome---physical-activity

https://www.acsm.org/read-research/newsroom/news-releases/news-detail/2020/03/16/staying-physically-active-during-covid-19-pandemic

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/joy-at-jhm/office-of-well-being/covid/physical-activities.html

Going to the gym safely

1. Screening2. Staff should wear face

covering, patrons when not exercising

3. Sanitation4. 12 ft between people

Parks and exercising outdoors• 3 main physical factors on

virus persistence outdoors:• temperature• Humidity• sunlight

• 90% or more of SARS-CoV-2 virus will be inactivated after being exposed for 11-34 minutes of midday sunlight in most US and world cities during summer

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7300806/pdf/PHP-9999-na.pdf

https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/covid-19-update

Sports

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/youth-sports.html https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/return-to-play

Online videos

1. Who is sponsoring the video? Is it from a trusted source?2. What claims does the video make? Are they realistic?3. Who is the target audience? Are they people like you?

Fitness monitors

What type of activity do I do?Is it accurate? Will I wear it?

If I need an app, is it useful?What functions do I need?

Tips for staying activeSet goalsGet instructionFind a role modelMonitor your activityCreate activity prompts (sticky note on the fridge)Write a contractFind a physical activity buddy

Build it into your scheduleGive yourself a reward (not food)Get feedbackPractice, practice, practice

https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10871/13753/Abraham%20%20Michie%20_2008_%20Behaviour%20Change%20Techniques%20Taxonomy%20Health%20Psychology.pdf;sequence=2

It takes a village

What activities do I like? What barriers do I have?

Are my friends, family, coworkers active?

How can my workplace promote

activity?

What community events or resources are there to

be active?

Are there laws that encourage activity?

Questions? ekhowie@uark.edu